Fusing the flavours of the past with the family values that defined her, chef Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij is dominating Bangkok’s dining scene and was just named World’s Best Female Chef for 2025.

“The past few years have been surreal”, says Pichaya Soontornyanakij, “but they’ve also reminded me that success is about consistency, passion and resilience.” Taking her own advice has paid off: the dynamic Thai cook known simply as ‘Chef Pam’ picked up a Michelin star for her restaurant Potong months after opening, was named Asia’s best female chef 2024 by 50 Best and is a regular face on television in Thailand’s edition of Top Chef.

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Growing up in a Chinese-Thai family in Bangkok, a career in culinary arts wasn’t on the cards, although Pam later unveiled certain similarities between cooking and the family pharmaceutical firm after which her restaurant is named.

“Becoming a chef wasn’t an obvious choice,” she says, “because I originally studied communications arts. My great-great-grandfather founded a traditional Chinese herbal producer in Chinatown, and it wasn’t just a business but a place of healing. I grew up understanding that everything — from how herbs were selected to how medicines were prepared — had to be done with care and intention, and, deep down, I felt drawn to the kitchen.”

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Uniting People

After studying and then working in the US for Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Pam returned to Bangkok and today creates sensorial memories for diners at Potong, the converted apothecary where generations of her family worked and her first food recollection took place in her mother’s kitchen.

“When I was about six, my mum was making rad nha, a simple noodle dish, and the smell of the wok — the char from the noodles, garlic sizzling in oil — was intoxicating. I remember watching her hands move quickly and precisely. That moment wasn’t just about the dish, it was about how food brought people together and made me realise how much love can be expressed through cooking. That memory has stuck with me; it influences how I cook at Potong.”

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Chinese influences are everywhere, from the food she eats to the values her family holds. Meals were centred around the idea of balance: soups filled with Chinese herbs, steamed fish with soy and ginger and perfectly seasoned fried rice.

“Thai-Chinese dishes were always on the table at home, so Potong’s cuisine is the result of this sub-Thai cuisine,” she says. “Growing up, I spent a lot of time in Chinatown, especially in the building that lent itself to Potong. The pharmacy was filled with earthy, medicinal aromas of dried herbs and roots that are still comforting to me. Being in Chinatown as a child gave me a profound appreciation for the stories behind ingredients – and I carry that into my cooking.”

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Her Michelin-starred restaurant – named ‘Opening of the Year’ in 2021 by the French gastronomy guide – draws from her rich heritage, and its very construction started with a major refurb of the five-storey pharmacy. Tucked onto a colourful narrow street that teems with market traders in the daytime, come evening, diners are met with a welcome drink and a synopsis of the Chef Pam story before embarking on Potong’s 20-course tasting menu.

Full-circle Moments

The pharmacy’s restoration was a labour of love. “The building is over 120 years old, and I wanted to honour its Sino-Portuguese history while giving it a new lease of life,” says Pam. “We retained many original features, such as the wooden beams, but brought it up to date to reflect our vision. Chinatown itself is so vibrant, a blend of old-world charm and contemporary energy, and being part of this neighbourhood feels like a full-circle moment for me because it connects me to my family’s past while allowing me to create something for the future.”

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Potong pays tribute to the rich cultural tapestry of Pam’s family, allowing her to gastronomically come full circle. “It’s a progressive Thai restaurant influenced by Chinese immigrants,” she says proudly.

Her interpretation of pad thai goes beyond food constructed atop a plate; it’s iconic. “A tribute to Thailand’s culinary history, we use organic local ingredients such as Nakhon si Thammarat shrimp to honour its origins during a time of economic and cultural transformation. The noodles are transformed into a single bite that carries all the flavours you’d expect — sweet, sour, salty, umami — but with an elegant, modern twist. The shrimp, sourced from southern Thailand, is the star, adding a natural sweetness and firm texture. It’s a story of resilience and identity, elevated for today’s palate.”

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Besides serving up delectable 14-day aged duck and kway chap noodle soup with pork tongue and caviar, Pam has also delved into the liquid world. Lending the fifth floor to a cocktail bar, she also created a fermentation lab specialising in kāng pǔ chá (kombucha).

“Opium [bar] was born out of a desire to extend the heritage into the drinks world,” she says. “It’s a space where [bar director] Arnon ‘KK’ Hoontrakul and [bar manager] Matteo Cadeddu can experiment with flavours, textures and techniques that complement the dining experience. We called this ‘Liquid Surreality’, working with Thai ingredients such as tamarind and pandan to create cocktails reflecting the same balance and harmony you find in the food. It’s all about creating synergy between what’s on the plate and in the glass.” Those after a more exclusive experience to quaff cocktails like the Dutchgroni or the Opium Fashion in private can reserve the Black Jade room.

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On paper, Pam’s career is the epitome of culinary success, and she’s happy to give advice to the next generation. “The kitchen will challenge you every day, but if you stay curious and push yourself, you’ll keep growing,” she says. “Second, respect the process and take time to master the basics before chasing innovation. Don’t be afraid to fail. Some of my best ideas came after things didn’t go as planned. It’s not about avoiding failure but about how you grow from it. And, most importantly, don’t lose sight of why you started cooking – it’s about bringing joy to others.”